Not a lot is known about Charles Baylis’s short life. He was
baptised in 1803 in Barnstaple, the son of Charles Baylis, a
linen-draper from Bristol, and Agnes née Hunt, born in Stoke
Rivers, North Devon. In 1828, when aged 25, he worked as a doctor
in Bow for a year. That year he married Charlotte, daughter of
William Flexman, a surgeon in South Molton (who three years later
also worked for a short period as the doctor in Bow).

Baylis had an annual contract with the Bow Overseers of the Poor
to provide medical and surgical care of the poor of the parish for
the sum of ten pounds. (Midwifery and vaccination against smallpox
attracted additional fees.)

Their daughter Charlotte Agnes Ann Flexman Baylis was born in
Bow in 1829. Shortly afterwards they moved to Combe Martin in North
Devon.

Samuel Budd took over for another two years.

There are entries in the books of the Bow Overseers of the Poor
that refer to a Chas Baylis having to pay bastardy payments of two
shillings a week between 1833 and 1836, and some of the expenses
incurred.

(The child was probably Abraham, illegitimate son of Mary Ann
Moore. He was baptised in 1831 and died in 1836.)

October
1833
£ s d

Pd William
Casely for summonsing Charles
Baylis
1 15 0

Pd Mr Gould
for Baylis order and constables’ charge for serving
it
0
9 0

Journey to
Linton and summons for Baylis and journey to South
Molton

And the
constable of Linton as per
bill
1 1
0

Journey to
Linton Mr
Casely
7 6

This is almost certainly the same Charles Baylis. In 1840, he
died aged 37 in South Molton. His wife survived him by 30
years.

Their daughter went on to marry solicitor John Hill Milton
Sanger of Bampton, who had recently served his articles of
clerkship in Exeter with Mr Robert Wreford of Bow.
(John Sanger the solicitor also died aged 35.)

It is of interest that Charles Baylis's aunt Mary Hunt married
Rev John Blackmore (later Rector of Combe Martin) and was the
grandmother of RD Blackmore of Lorna Doone fame.